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Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production by Boron Modified TiO 2 /Carbon Nitride Heterojunctions
Author(s) -
Christoforidis Konstantinos C.,
Montini Tiziano,
Fittipaldi Maria,
Jaén Juan José Delgado,
Fornasiero Paolo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201901703
Subject(s) - materials science , photocatalysis , hydrogen production , anatase , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , raman spectroscopy , carbon nitride , graphitic carbon nitride , dopant , electron paramagnetic resonance , photoluminescence , nanocomposite , boron , chemical engineering , hydrogen , catalysis , nanotechnology , doping , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , optoelectronics , optics , nuclear magnetic resonance , engineering
Boron‐doped anatase TiO 2 particles were effectively coupled with carbon nitride (CN) forming nanocomposites. The materials were fully characterized by DR‐UV‐Vis, N 2 adsorption‐desorption isotherms, XRD, Raman, FTIR, TGA, XPS, TEM, electron energy loss spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and electron paramagnetic spectroscopy (EPR) spectroscopy. The developed heterojunctions were applied as photocatalysts for hydrogen (H 2 ) evolution by the photoreforming process of ethanol under solar irradiation, using minimal amount of Pt nanoparticles (0.1 wt. %) as co‐catalyst. The effects of boron addition and CN content were evaluated and optimized nanocomposite presented 85 % increase in H 2 evolution compared with the pure anatase TiO 2 catalyst. The observed higher H 2 evolution rates were ascribed to improvements in charge formation and separation efficiency due to the B‐dopant and the presence of CN.